Comments on: Former Piston Adrian Dantley the fifth best small forward of the last 30 years

By: Barry Sandinureyes

Barry Sandinureyes — Mon, 16 Jul 2012 05:51:33 +0000

Bernard King was unstoppable before he blew out his knee and still came back 2 years later and was an All-Star. Pierce shouldn’t even be mentioned in a greatest list. Titles are overrated. Pierce was on a terrible team that was saved by Kevin Garnett. He would have no ring without him. The Pistons were a much better team before they traded AD. Daley never used him right. Too many missed outside shots for the guards. Those Pistons were so deep that it didn’t stop them from winning. They destroyed the Lakers in LA during the regular season when Dantley was still there.

By: khandor

khandor — Thu, 21 Jul 2011 04:06:19 +0000

Despite being an AD fan from his years at Notre Dame and his early seasons in the NBA with the fledgling Buffalo Braves franchise, IMO, ranking him No. 5 on this list is an over-estimation of his actual ability level at the SF position relative to other slightly more talented and equally deserving Paul Pierce [who has a better all-around skill-set than Dantley] and Bernard King [who was an even better scorer than Dantley in their prime years].

By: Dan Feldman

Dan Feldman — Thu, 21 Jul 2011 00:21:03 +0000

No comment on what should happen. Just an observation about what does happen.

By: Sebastian

Sebastian — Wed, 20 Jul 2011 21:50:29 +0000

Dan,

Everybody knows: one should respect their elders. Especially, when the same profession is practice. These guys, Melo and J.R. Smith wished they will become, in the end, as great as A.D. was.

Heck, A.D. was a far better collegiate player (Melo a ”one-and-doner” and J.R. Smith didn’t event go to college.

And, these two guys (Melo and J.R. Smith) still haven’t reached the accomplishments that A.D. has: NBA ROY, NBA two-time scoring champ, etc.

By: Dan Feldman

Dan Feldman — Wed, 20 Jul 2011 15:28:34 +0000

So, current players don’t automatically respect a coach for how he played 20-plus years ago? Hmmmm.

By: Patrick Hayes

Patrick Hayes — Wed, 20 Jul 2011 15:02:25 +0000

Dantley was brilliant in the Finals vs. the Lakers. I understand his bitterness at getting traded when he did. But moving him cleared more minutes for Dennis Rodman, which was absolutely a good thing.

By: DoctorDaveT

DoctorDaveT — Wed, 20 Jul 2011 14:54:04 +0000

Did you get these quotes from the article:
“I personally thought he got the shaft when the Detroit Pistons traded him”
and
“…the Pistons went on to win a couple of titles because no one was there to challenge Zeke’s control of the team.”
If the Pistons went on to win titles because “no one was there to challenge Zeke’s control of the team,” it’s too bad they didn’t move Dantley 12 months earlier; that 7 game Lakers series might have gone the other way.
Dantley was good; but his subtraction from the Pistons made the team better. In a left-handed-sort-of-way, Velasco admits it himself.
People have been whining about the Dantley/Aguirre trade since it happened. I remember there was a buzz in Detroit about getting Dantley a championship ring for the first championship. I’ve disliked the whining about it ever since then.
Sure, Dantley was good; and I don’t object to his being placed on this list at all. But Dennis, stop the “he got the shaft” stuff, will you?

By: Sebastian

Sebastian — Wed, 20 Jul 2011 14:40:35 +0000

A.D.! Sho’ you right!!!
Dantley was big time in the League and in college at Notre Dame. And, I for one, was really disappointed in the lack of respect that it appeared that Melo and J.R. Smith had for Dantley, as he was serving as the Interim Coach for the Nuggets, while George Karl was absent from the team during his cancer treatments (2009-2010 season).

But, yes, A.D. was the man!

By: Murph

Murph — Wed, 20 Jul 2011 13:07:58 +0000

I think I would place Paul Pierce ahead of both Dantley and Wilkins, based on his NBA Championship ring, which eluded both Dantley and Wilkins. As much as I dislike Pierces’ personality, I thought he was the clutch, go-to guy for the Celtics down the stretch in 2008.

Also, I would place Worthy ahead of English, Dantley and Wilkins for the same reason.